See How Much the ​Pretty Little Liars​ Have Changed from Season 1 to Now

Season 7 of Pretty Little Liars is well underway, and the suspense is high as ever. In the episodes that have transpired since the Big “A” reveal last summer, a new mystery has begun to take hold and it’s pretty confusing to say the least. While the Liars’ lives were never exactly simple, they certainly had less to worry when PLL first premiered in 2010. Remember when they weren’t burying cop cars in lakes or getting locked in dollhouses? The good old days.

Over the past six seasons, there have been multiple villains, numerous amounts of clues, several deaths (RIP Maya), and countless romances. While some things have remained the same throughout the series (like the amount of times the girls have gone to the police – zero!) a lot is certainly different.

We took a look back at the Liars when we first met them in season 1, and compared to their current selves. There have definitely been a lot of changes (and some, uh, bad hair decisions too) but overall, the girls have certainly grown up. Take a look!

Aria, Season 1

In the first season, Aria and her family had just returned from Iceland. She was harboring the secret of her father’s affair (so sketch) and she just met Ezra. Of course, we found out later that Ezra planned that meeting (because he is and always has been CREEPY. There, we said it.)

Aria’s style in Season 1 was...interesting. Remember her pink-streaked hair and her love of skull-prints and leopard? We’re pretty glad she left that behind in the first few seasons.

Aria, Season 7

Aria has definitely grown up a lot. While she always seems to get pulled back into relationships with Ezra, she is also more confident in her own skin. In episode 7x02, she told Liam that even if she had a magic button to undo all of the mistakes she’s made, she wouldn’t press it. She’s come to realize that her mistakes make her who she is, which is a great lesson to learn. As for her fashion choices, she’s learned some lessons there too. Her chic bob and classy blazers are all kinds of perfect.

Emily, Season 1

It’s fair to say that Emily has changed the most. When we first met Emily, she was dating Ben and was struggling to accept and embrace her sexuality. She was afraid of what her friends and family would think if she told them she was gay. (But when she did finally come out, Hanna had the best response. Hanna just shrugged and said, “Last year, you were Emily dating Ben. This year, you’re Emily dating Maya. We love Emily.”) Over the course of the first season, Emily realized that though no one is defined by their sexuality, it's a huge part of anyone's identity. Her coming out became something she was proud of.

Emily, Season 7

Emily has become one of the strongest characters on the show. She is often the voice of reason (yes, even more than Spencer) and she is passionate about her friends and family. Emily’s love life has also evolved – she had serious relationships with both Maya and Paige, but most PLL fans are holding out for her and Alison to declare their love for one another. Emison shippers can only hope.

Hanna, Season 1

Hanna was kiiind of a mean girl in Season 1. She was consistently joined at the hip with Mona, and she was always getting into trouble – like the time she shoplifted a pair of sunglasses at the mall. But we learned pretty quickly that Hanna struggled with some deep-rooted insecurities that were the underlying reason for her desperate climb to popularity.

At the beginning of the series, Hanna was dating Sean, who — let’s be honest — was totally wrong for her. Of course, Sean soon became history when Caleb appeared on the scene in episode 1x14. Even though Caleb was a little shady at first, he rapidly became one of the Liars’ trusted friends, and Hanna’s first love.

Hanna, season 7

Hanna is certainly struggling in the current season of PLL. Between facing the trauma of being kidnapped (again) and her breakup with Jordan, she’s dealing with a lot. That said, she’s become a successful businesswoman, which is a major change from her high school days of failing tests and quizzes. She was essentially living the plot of The Devil Wears Prada when she lived in New York, and she’s about to embark on a business venture with Lucas. We think things will be looking up for Hanna soon. And hey, at least she’s not wearing shirts with ice cream cone patterns anymore.

Spencer, Season 1

Spencer has always been a little uptight, but she’s definitely loosened up since her early days in the first season. Back then, she was a perfectionist about everything – from school, to sports, and even her home life. However, she wasn’t always the nicest girl, even though she put up a “perfect daughter” front. Early in season 1, she made out with Melissa’s fiancé Wren (shout out to all the Wren theorists who think this is still important!)

Of course, one of the biggest LOL-worthy things from the beginning of season 1 is Spencer’s opinion of Toby. Like the other Liars, she thought Toby was creepy and weird. She was even afraid of him at times. But that all changed in episode 1x19 when they had their first kiss over a game of Scrabble.

Spencer, Season 7

As Melissa put it, Spencer is still “shopping out of other people’s carts.” The biggest shock of the time jump was definitely Spencer and Caleb’s romance – even though it seems like Spaleb might be on the way out. Spencer’s “perfect” image has rapidly unraveled throughout recent episodes; she was even fired from her job for not putting in enough effort, something that season 1 Spencer would find truly horrifying. We’re not entirely sure what’s been eating at Spencer lately, but she certainly hasn’t been acting like herself.

Alison, Season 1

While Alison appeared mostly in flashbacks and dream sequences in the first season, she was still a huge part of the Liars’ lives, considering the early episodes revolved around the mystery of her “murder.” All we knew about Ali was what the rest of the girls told us – that she was manipulative, arrogant, untrustworthy, and vicious. And, to be fair, she ended up being all of those things IRL when she re-appeared in 4x01, but we loved her anyway.

Alison, Season 7

Ali is pretty different from her season 1 reputation. While she’s still manipulative and not always the most trustworthy, she’s demonstrated her loyalty to her friends time and again. It seems like she was genuinely distraught over Charlotte’s death, and that she truly believed Elliot was a good person. There is, of course, the matter of #SaveAli, but from what — or should we say, who? — exactly is yet to be revealed.

Mona, Season 1

Mona has earned her right to be considered a Liar by association, so we’re including her in this list. When we first met Mona, she had given herself a makeover from “nerdy Mona” into “cool Mona,” and she was essentially Hanna’s sidekick. She was obsessed with being popular, wearing the right clothes, and bullying others into being afraid of her (she learned from Ali, after all). Of course, Mona was also the original “A” at the beginning of the series, so it’s hard to discern how much of her friendship with Hanna was actually genuine.

Mona, Season 7

Mona has turned into one of the fiercest characters on this show. (Throwback to when she pulled off her shoe and it was actually a weapon.) She’s decided to use her intelligence for good instead of evil, and when she teams up with Caleb, their combined powers become a force to be reckoned with. We have a feeling that Mona will definitely help solve this latest mystery, and perhaps help uncover the identity of Uber “A” once and for all.